Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Dogs Poop in Alignment with Earth's Magnetic Field

By Been Richmond

Dogs seem to have an awful lot of ritual before hunkering down and soiling the sidewalk. It’s not uncommon to see a dog owner—plastic bag in hand—rolling his eyes as his furry companion sniffs and spins, getting just so before hunkering down to do the least considerate thing possible.

But for whatever its worth, all that spinning is far from arbitrary. What dog owners witness is a small and furry version of the aurora borealis and a link between species and environment that’s as holistic and beautiful as a dog pooping can be. A team of Czech and German researchers found that dogs actually align themselves with the Earth’s magnetic field when they poop.

Proving at least that they’re really devoted to their work, the researchers measured the direction of the body axis of 70 dogs from 37 breeds during 1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations over the course of two years, and found that dogs “prefer to excrete with the body being aligned along the North-south axis under calm magnetic field conditions.” They fittingly published their results in the journal Frontiers in Zoology.

You might wonder why dogs bother to do this, and uh, so do the researchers.

It is still enigmatic why the dogs do align at all, whether they do it ‘consciously’ (i.e., whether the magnetic field is sensorial perceived (the dogs ‘see,’ ‘hear’ or ‘smell’ the compass direction or perceive it as a haptic stimulus) or whether its reception is controlled on the vegetative level (they ‘feel better/more comfortable or worse/less comfortable’ in a certain direction). Our analysis of the raw data (not shown here) indicates that dogs not only prefer N-S direction, but at the same time they also avoid E-W direction.

This isn’t the only example of animals seemingly sensing the Earth’s magnetic field. Birds, turtles, and fish are known to use magnetic guidance while migrating. Cattle and deer are known to graze on a north-south axis—as with defecating dogs, this is magnetic north, not the geographic one. Some bats navigate using a magnetic compass and given the large ranges of the dog’s closest relatives in the wild, wolves, scientists suspected that canines might also sense the magnetic field.

But this was perhaps the first time that magnetic sensitivity was proven in dogs, and it was also the first time that a predictable behavioral reaction to the fluctuations in the magnetic field—magnetic storms, often as resulting from solar flares—was proven in a mammal.

If you’re out walking your dog later, and he sidles up and pees on a tree facing east-west, don’t be terribly surprised. The magnetic consciousness was observed only in dogs off leash, in the middle of a field. All things considered, the owner matters more to the dog than the Earth’s magnetic field; a nice little ego-booster that you’ll need as you bend over to pick up warm dog droppings.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Sergeant Stubby (1916 or 1917 – April 4, 1926), was the most decorated war dog of World War I and the only dog to be promoted to sergeant through combat. America's first war dog, Stubby served for 18 months and participated in seventeen battles on the Western Front. He saved his regiment from surprise mustard gas attacks, found and comforted the wounded, and even once caught a German spy by the seat of his pants, holding him there until American soldiers found him. Back home his exploits were front page news of every major newspaper.

Stubby, according to vintage articles from his time and,[1] was noted to be a Pit Bull breed.[2][3][4] Stubby was found wandering the grounds of Yale university campus in New Haven, Connecticut while a group of soldiers were training. The dog hung around as the men drilled and one soldier, Corporal Robert Conroy, developed a fondness for the Pit Bull. When it came time for the outfit to ship out, Conroy hid Stubby on board the troop ship. The story goes that upon discovery by Conroy's commanding officer, Stubby saluted him as he had been trained to in camp, and the commanding officer was so impressed that he allowed the dog to stay on board.

Stubby[5] served with the 102nd Infantry, 26th (Yankee) Division in the trenches in France for 18 months and participated in four offensives and 17 battles. He entered combat on February 5, 1918 at Chemin des Dames, north of Soissons, and was under constant fire, day and night for over a month. In April 1918, during a raid to take Schieprey, Stubby was wounded in the foreleg by the retreating Germans throwing hand grenades. He was sent to the rear for convalescence, and as he had done on the front was able to improve morale. When he recovered from his wounds, Stubby returned to the trenches.

After being gassed himself, Stubby learned to warn his unit of poison gas attacks, located wounded soldiers in no man's land, and — since he could hear the whine of incoming artillery shells before humans could — became very adept at letting his unit know when to duck for cover. He was solely responsible for capturing a German spy in the Argonne. Following the retaking of Château-Thierry by the US, the women of the town made Stubby a chamois coat on which were pinned his many medals. He also helped free a French town from the Germans. At the end of the war, Conroy smuggled Stubby home.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Finley River Chief

1852

In November, 1852, on the 20th day, Adam Maupin died. The date is recorded on a sandstone marker along with date of birth and the fact that he was the son of T. J. and Jane Maupin. He was 12 days past six years old.

Except for the incident that Jeff Maupin's older brother, Wash, on his way home that day from Harris' blacksmith shop, stopped by the house, the date on the stone marker would long ago have been forgotten, for pioneer Kentucky was long accustomed to bornings and buryings.

Madison county had not yet recovered from the shock of other events which foreshadowed the great changes soon to come. Henry Clay had died in the June before, closely followed by Daniel Webster, while members of the greedy capitalistic system had financed a railroad, and construction was already under way out of Louisville toward the State of Tennessee. In March a book came off the press which lit the fuse of the bomb that blew the states apart for four long years. It was a best seller called "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

The story in the book was about General Kennedy's Negro man. Tom, whose cabin stood across the branch, in a hackberry thicket, from the farm where Bob Walker died. By our time the old Kennedy mansion was in ruins, standing in the center of a cornfield, stripped of its colonial columns and shutters as bleak as a skull in the wintertime. General Kennedy had married the widow of William Woods Kavanaugh, who had died six years before when trying to swim his horse across the Tennessee river. The general brought her and the children back to Kentucky from Franklin county, Tenn. Among the children was a daughter, Jane Miller, aged eleven. She rates this record because she later married John Williams Walker and mothered four sons, Stephen, Edwin, Archibald K. and John Wade.

The reason for here recording the date of the death of little Adam Maupin is that when his uncle stopped at the house on the Crooksville pike that day he was carrying on the pommel of his saddle a rat-tailed, tight-haired black and tan deer hound that he carried on home to Hunter's Rest . . . and called by the name of Tennessee Lead.

Excerpt from "History of the Walker Hound" by Bob Lee maddux

1855

Adam Maupin's' uncle was George Washington Maupin ,who had obtained Tennessee Lead from Tom Harris, a stock drover . Tom Harris had caught The black and tan hound out of a deer chase near the Kentucky and Tennessee line and carried him home.

In the early 1850's Red Fox began to appear in Kentucky. Prior to 1855, only Gray Fox inhabited Madison County, but that year, A Red Fox found his way into the area from Estill County. All of the local hunters Gray Fox hounds and Deer hounds were baffled by this new wide running fox. All But one, George W. Maupin's' Tennessee Lead. Lead jumped the Red Fox and ran it all day , with snow covering the ground ,until he ran it into its' den at Round Mountain in Estill County. This was the first Kentucky hound to jump and run to ground a Red Fox. Lead was no better Gray Fox or Deer hound than those owned by other local hunters .The Trait that made him famous was the Red Fox know-how he brought with him from Tennessee . From that day, all the local hunters wanted a litter of pups sired by Tennessee Lead.

The first hound bred to Tennessee Lead was a female called Red May, jointly owned by Thomas Howard Maupin (brother of George Washington Maupin), Speedwell Road and Alfred Johnson. This mating took place on November 20, 1852 the same day that George Washington Maupin obtained Lead from Thomas Harris. This mating produced the hound White Mag, who was later sold to George Washington Maupin.

1857

In 1857 William Fleming, an English importer ,purchased two black, white and tan English hounds in England and shipped them to William Jason Walker in Kentucky. One of the hounds was a male by the name of Rifler. The other was a bitch in whelp by the name of Marth. Marth had been bred in England to a dog that is unknown.

On the same night that they arrived in Kentucky, Rifler was carried on a hunt, Marth being to heavy with pups to go. Rifler proved that he knew the ways of the Red Fox.

When Marth's English pups were born, There was one Female and four males. The Tan and white Female was crippled when she was ran over by a wagon , crushing one of her feet. She was named Mash Foot, and was still a good foxhound in spite of being crippled. She was a good breeder and whelped several good litters of puppies. The Four males were named Fox (belonged to Jason Walker), Bally (belonged to Durett White), Bragg (belonged to Jeff Maupin) and Troop (belonged to Jack Martin).

Marth was later bred to Tennessee Lead but she died before the pups were born.

Marth and Rifler and the five pups were the Imported stock of 1857 and are noted in Walker hound history with the Imp. preceding their names such as Imp.Rifler , Imp.Bragg Etc.. These hounds and the Ben Robinson male hound from Maryland (White Tickler were crossed on the old deer hounds and the hounds from Pennsylvania (Florence and Vic, both bitches) crossed on Tennessee Lead). These crosses made up the Early breed of Walker hounds.

More Walker Hound History

(From July 1923 TheChase Magazine)

The

By C. J. Prouty, 1907.

Just one hundred and nine years ago last fall. John W. Walker, father of the four Walker brothers, (W. Stephen, Edwin H. J. and Wade and Arch K.), and originator of the strain of hounds bearing his name, was born in Garrard County. Ky., home of all the brothers. At the death of his father, John, then a mere child, went to live with his uncle, Billy Williams, of Madison County. who with his father, had migrated from Virginia several years before. They had kept a pack of deer hounds in Virginia and had brought part of that pack, some eight or ten, with them from Virginia. These hounds somewhat resembled the so- called native hounds of New England, common about ten years or more ago. They were noted for their keen noses, heavy musical voices and ability to keep their game on the move for many hours, but not at a fast gait. These deer hounds and their off-springs were mostly black and tan, some mottled, a few red, and occasionally a black white and tan would appear. They were rather long cast, had square muzzles, long ears and rather poor legs and feet. But even at this early date were able to successfully cope with the deer and gray fox of that locality, the red at that time not having made its appearance in Kentucky. Today, in a certain part of Virginia, a type much like these old deer hounds can still be found, and no doubt trace directly back to the same parent stock as those that belonged to Uncle Billy Williams and his father over one hundred years ago. John W. Walker, at the age of ten, mounted behind his uncle, went on his first fox hunt, and from that day till he gave up hunting in 1862 was one of the most consistent and, outside of’ General Maupin. the most noted fox hunter in Kentucky. General Maupin and Mr. Walker were cousins and life long friends. The latter commenced hunting some earlier, but the General kept at the game long after Mr. Walker gave up the sport. The hounds were of nearly the same blood, but nevertheless, they always enjoyed having a race, and were never happier than when one happened to beat the pack with some favorite hound. Mr. Walker confined his hunting more or less to home grounds, while General Maupin would go miles to get after a good running fox.He never gave up the sport. Even when too old to ride he would drive to the hunting grounds, and was carried lying flat on his back, when unable to sit in a carriage, in order to hear the cry of his pack, which had been so much a part of his whole life. One day, during Uncle Wash’s last sickness. W. S. Walker happened to call. He had been on a week’s hunting trip in Madison County, where his hounds had performed especially well throughout the week, and, naturally, he felt pretty happy on his way home. While relating some of the pleasant features of the hunt. Uncle Wash broke in and said to his Negro Sam, take old Tickler,” (a noted hound of that time), “and go out and beat Steve. Don’t let him go home feeling so gay.” Both General Maupin and Mr. Walker, at that day, loved a game hound and bred with that idea always upper-most in their minds speed, hunting, trailing and fox sense always secondary to gameness. Their point of breeding has been strictly adhered to by the present Walker brothers. Is it any wonder the Walker hounds are noted the country over, especially for their gameness, when one considers that for a hundred years they have been breeding to the gamest hounds they could find, often times sacrificing conformation and other valuable points necessary to make a first class, all around American fox hound?

The first Red fox that there is any record of in Garrard County, Kentucky was caught by James McQuerry after a heavy snow fall. He found strange tracks, which, upon investigation. seemed some like a gray fox, but being rather narrow and longer, with the two front toes and nails leaving a pronounced imprint, it roused his curiosity, so he followed the trail, which finally led to a pile of logs. His shepherd dog that had followed him by this time had become quite interested at what was going on, so he kept guard at one end of the pile, while his master went to the other. Just as he reached the end the gentleman in red spied Mr. McQuerry and darted back out of the pile where the dog was keeping watch. A lively scrap followed, the dog finally pinning the fox in the deep snow until his master could get a good safe hold on Reynard. At the time the fox appeared uninjured, but lived only a short time after being taken home by Mr. McQuerry. The news that a Red fox had been caught in the country spread quickly. Persons from all walks of life and many from long distances came to see what was then quite a curiosity. Since that date Red foxes have become fairly plentiful all over the state. At times in different locations they will be in fair numbers, when all of a sudden they will practically disappear, many being killed to be sure, but certainly some must migrate. There is no reason, if properly protected, why the red fox should not be as abundant in Kentucky as in New England. although shot here by the hundreds each year, they are always in numbers sufficient to furnish good sport. The first red fox that gave the Walkers any running, located in what is locally known as “Turkey Penn hollow”, just beyond the Whetstone Knob. one of the range of knobs that was about two miles south of the home of W. S., E. H. and Woods Walker. The pack became so familiar with the fox’s abode that they did not bother to trail him up but went to his kennel. It was not uncommon for the first note not to be given till the fox began running. His course always lay directly east, and when once squared away, held it. not once deviating a point either way from the line. Where he went they never knew as it was impossible to follow. Often-times the fox would be back to his favorite haunts before they would get home. Soon after, others commenced to come in. They apparently were working westward as they were always on the move in that direction. At times one hunter would take a trail early in the morning, trail until noon, when he would come up to where someone had put on an hour or more ahead of him, the second hunter might trail until dark without getting near the fox. One case in particular is told of different hunters with their packs trailing two whole days. resting nights without having a race. but the third day the trail commenced to warm up, so by noon they had the fox up on the run, which lasted until dark. when the pack caught and killed it.

The coming of the reds gave the breeder a harder problem to solve. While their hounds were all right for deer and gray fox, when matched with brother red it was a different story, and usually the race would come down to a cold trail. The state of affairs naturally set all interested in hounds to try to improve their packs by finding a suitable cross. The first one of any importance that really improved their pack came from a stolen hound. that is what we would call if such thing occurred today. About 1850. when a well known fox hunter was returning home from one of his mule buying expeditions. which often took him into Tennessee and Virginia. was crossing the mountains near the point where the two above named states and Kentucky meet when he heard a pack of hounds running a deer, and. noticing that one hound seemed to be beating the others, jumped off of his horse, beat the hounds and caught his lead dog, carried him to Madison County and gave him to General Maupin. This hound, afterwards known as Tennessee Lead, was a black dog much like Woods Walker’s Mart, that won the Derby at Barre in 1906. Tennessee Lead was rather a heavy boned hound, strong and well built, with ears much shorter than hounds in Kentucky at that time. He had a clear short mouth, and up to that time was probably the best Red fox hound in that section of the state. Lead was bred to the best bitches, the produce being an improvement over the Virginia hounds in all except voice. This was the first direct out cross made on the Virginia hounds. Many of the present Kentucky hounds trace back to Tennessee Lead. Scott (Scott No. 7), the most noted hound of his day,which was in the early eighteen eighties, and one of the pillars of the Walker breeding, was the fifth generation from Tennessee Lead. Two years later. General Maupin sent a man back to the mountains to find more hounds hike Lead, but was unsuccessful.

About 1852 or ‘53, it was decided to try an English cross on their hounds, Jason Walker, a cousin of the present Walker brothers, and Derrit White, who afterwards married a daughter of John W. Walker, prevailed upon William Fleming of Philadelphia. who sold goods to Jason Walker, to get him a pair of English hounds while on one of his many trips across the water. This couple, Rifler and Marth, came in due time, the latter in whelp at the time. and afterwards giving birth to five, four of which were dog puppies. Rifler and Marth were both fine looking hounds, the bitch the better of the two, but unfortunately died soon after whelping. All five of her puppies lived but none Reached their prime except Bally, who was blind. The bitch of this litter was bred to Tennessee Lead. Her puppies were black and tan, and black, white and tan. Among this lot was a famous bitch known as the ‘Mashfoot’ bitch, she having had one foot badly crushed by being run over by a wagon. Her puppies were superior hounds - a big improvement over the hounds of that time. Blind Riley, Wake, Rush and Brack were her best get. W. S. Walker’s first hound, Rifler, was by imp. Rifler out of the “Mashfoot” bitch. Although John W. Walker never liked the English hounds as fox dogs, the cross certainly improved the back. feet and legs of their hounds and made a tougher and better looking hound, if not a gamer one.

In 1863, when Mr. Walker gave up hunting. he presented his hounds to his sons, W. S. and E. H. Walker. who have always been on the lookout to improve - their hounds by judicious crossings and the careful mating of their own stock with that of the Madison County hunters. W. S. Walker, along in 1887, visited Maryland for the sole purpose of finding’ a few hounds that would improve their stock. He hunted with many of the best known packs of Virginia. then went to Maryland. staying about six weeks in each state. In the latter state he hunted with Henry Griffith and later bought two of his best hounds, Sam and Brag. Sam had the reputation of being able to catch more red foxes than any hound in the state. He was a pale red dog, while Brag was a black and white, ring neck hound. larger and somewhat better looking than Sam, although Sam was a well made hound. After a fair trial in Kentucky these hounds did not prove satisfactory, consequently were not bred to any of their bitches. A little later W. S. Walker bought from John Hardy of Maryland two hounds, Bloomer, a large black and tan dog, and Beulah. a while, gray and lemon spotted bitch. Bloomer was a firs class fox hound but no better than the best of their own stock. He was bred to fourteen of their best bitches. The produce were good in every point except gameness. and lacked the enduring qualities of their own blood. It improved a little. the trailing qualities and gave some better mouths, but on the whole was not a complete success, About 1889, Mr. l-lardv sent Mr. Walker two more hounds, Bluff, who was sent to replace one that had been returned no good. and Pat, a pale yellow hound that was sent to beat everything as he had done in Maryland, but the trip, change of climate. etc., evidently put him all to the bad, as he would not hark into a race in Kentucky, and was subsequently given to a Negro man. Bluff was not as good looking as the other Maryland hounds, but after his first race all were much pleased with his work and thought at that time he would do to breed to. But later, after running a plantation fox for two hours, he quit entirely, and was returned to Maryland.

In November, 1852, on the 20th day, Adam Maupin died. The date is recorded on a sandstone marker along with date of birth and the fact that he was the son of T. J. and Jane Maupin. He was 12 days past six years old.

Except for the incident that Jeff Maupin's older brother, Wash, on his way home that day from Harris' blacksmith shop, stopped by the house, the date on the stone marker would long ago have been forgotten, for pioneer Kentucky was long accustomed to bornings and buryings.

Madison county had not yet recovered from the shock of other events which foreshadowed the great changes soon to come. Henry Clay had died in the June before, closely followed by Daniel Webster, while members of the greedy capitalistic system had financed a railroad, and construction was already under way out of Louisville toward the State of Tennessee. In March a book came off the press which lit the fuse of the bomb that blew the states apart for four long years. It was a best seller called "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

The story in the book was about General Kennedy's Negro man. Tom, whose cabin stood across the branch, in a hackberry thicket, from the farm where Bob Walker died. By our time the old Kennedy mansion was in ruins, standing in the center of a cornfield, stripped of its colonial columns and shutters as bleak as a skull in the wintertime. General Kennedy had married the widow of William Woods Kavanaugh, who had died six years before when trying to swim his horse across the Tennessee river. The general brought her and the children back to Kentucky from Franklin county, Tenn. Among the children was a daughter, Jane Miller, aged eleven. She rates this record because she later married John Williams Walker and mothered four sons, Stephen, Edwin, Archibald K. and John Wade.

The reason for here recording the date of the death of little Adam Maupin is that when his uncle stopped at the house on the Crooksville pike that day he was carrying on the pommel of his saddle a rat-tailed, tight-haired black and tan deer hound that he carried on home to Hunter's Rest . . . and called by the name of Tennessee Lead.

Excerpt from "History of the Walker Hound" by Bob Lee maddux

1855

Adam Maupin's' uncle was George Washington Maupin ,who had obtained Tennessee Lead from Tom Harris, a stock drover . Tom Harris had caught The black and tan hound out of a deer chase near the Kentucky and Tennessee line and carried him home.

In the early 1850's Red Fox began to appear in Kentucky. Prior to 1855, only Gray Fox inhabited Madison County, but that year, A Red Fox found his way into the area from Estill County. All of the local hunters Gray Fox hounds and Deer hounds were baffled by this new wide running fox. All But one, George W. Maupin's' Tennessee Lead. Lead jumped the Red Fox and ran it all day , with snow covering the ground ,until he ran it into its' den at Round Mountain in Estill County. This was the first Kentucky hound to jump and run to ground a Red Fox. Lead was no better Gray Fox or Deer hound than those owned by other local hunters .The Trait that made him famous was the Red Fox know-how he brought with him from Tennessee . From that day, all the local hunters wanted a litter of pups sired by Tennessee Lead.

The first hound bred to Tennessee Lead was a female called Red May, jointly owned by Thomas Howard Maupin (brother of George Washington Maupin), Speedwell Road and Alfred Johnson. This mating took place on November 20, 1852 the same day that George Washington Maupin obtained Lead from Thomas Harris. This mating produced the hound White Mag, who was later sold to George Washington Maupin.

1857

In 1857 William Fleming, an English importer ,purchased two black, white and tan English hounds in England and shipped them to William Jason Walker in Kentucky. One of the hounds was a male by the name of Rifler. The other was a bitch in whelp by the name of Marth. Marth had been bred in England to a dog that is unknown.

On the same night that they arrived in Kentucky, Rifler was carried on a hunt, Marth being to heavy with pups to go. Rifler proved that he knew the ways of the Red Fox.

When Marth's English pups were born, There was one Female and four males. The Tan and white Female was crippled when she was ran over by a wagon , crushing one of her feet. She was named Mash Foot, and was still a good foxhound in spite of being crippled. She was a good breeder and whelped several good litters of puppies. The Four males were named Fox (belonged to Jason Walker), Bally (belonged to Durett White), Bragg (belonged to Jeff Maupin) and Troop (belonged to Jack Martin).

Marth was later bred to Tennessee Lead but she died before the pups were born.

Marth and Rifler and the five pups were the Imported stock of 1857 and are noted in Walker hound history with the Imp. preceding their names such as Imp.Rifler , Imp.Bragg Etc.. These hounds and the Ben Robinson male hound from Maryland (White Tickler were crossed on the old deer hounds and the hounds from Pennsylvania (Florence and Vic, both bitches) crossed on Tennessee Lead). These crosses made up the Early breed of Walker hounds.

More Walker Hound History

(From July 1923 TheChase Magazine)

The

By C. J. Prouty, 1907.

Just one hundred and nine years ago last fall. John W. Walker, father of the four Walker brothers, (W. Stephen, Edwin H. J. and Wade and Arch K.), and originator of the strain of hounds bearing his name, was born in Garrard County. Ky., home of all the brothers. At the death of his father, John, then a mere child, went to live with his uncle, Billy Williams, of Madison County. who with his father, had migrated from Virginia several years before. They had kept a pack of deer hounds in Virginia and had brought part of that pack, some eight or ten, with them from Virginia. These hounds somewhat resembled the so- called native hounds of New England, common about ten years or more ago. They were noted for their keen noses, heavy musical voices and ability to keep their game on the move for many hours, but not at a fast gait. These deer hounds and their off-springs were mostly black and tan, some mottled, a few red, and occasionally a black white and tan would appear. They were rather long cast, had square muzzles, long ears and rather poor legs and feet. But even at this early date were able to successfully cope with the deer and gray fox of that locality, the red at that time not having made its appearance in Kentucky. Today, in a certain part of Virginia, a type much like these old deer hounds can still be found, and no doubt trace directly back to the same parent stock as those that belonged to Uncle Billy Williams and his father over one hundred years ago. John W. Walker, at the age of ten, mounted behind his uncle, went on his first fox hunt, and from that day till he gave up hunting in 1862 was one of the most consistent and, outside of’ General Maupin. the most noted fox hunter in Kentucky. General Maupin and Mr. Walker were cousins and life long friends. The latter commenced hunting some earlier, but the General kept at the game long after Mr. Walker gave up the sport. The hounds were of nearly the same blood, but nevertheless, they always enjoyed having a race, and were never happier than when one happened to beat the pack with some favorite hound. Mr. Walker confined his hunting more or less to home grounds, while General Maupin would go miles to get after a good running fox.He never gave up the sport. Even when too old to ride he would drive to the hunting grounds, and was carried lying flat on his back, when unable to sit in a carriage, in order to hear the cry of his pack, which had been so much a part of his whole life. One day, during Uncle Wash’s last sickness. W. S. Walker happened to call. He had been on a week’s hunting trip in Madison County, where his hounds had performed especially well throughout the week, and, naturally, he felt pretty happy on his way home. While relating some of the pleasant features of the hunt. Uncle Wash broke in and said to his Negro Sam, take old Tickler,” (a noted hound of that time), “and go out and beat Steve. Don’t let him go home feeling so gay.” Both General Maupin and Mr. Walker, at that day, loved a game hound and bred with that idea always upper-most in their minds speed, hunting, trailing and fox sense always secondary to gameness. Their point of breeding has been strictly adhered to by the present Walker brothers. Is it any wonder the Walker hounds are noted the country over, especially for their gameness, when one considers that for a hundred years they have been breeding to the gamest hounds they could find, often times sacrificing conformation and other valuable points necessary to make a first class, all around American fox hound?

The first Red fox that there is any record of in Garrard County, Kentucky was caught by James McQuerry after a heavy snow fall. He found strange tracks, which, upon investigation. seemed some like a gray fox, but being rather narrow and longer, with the two front toes and nails leaving a pronounced imprint, it roused his curiosity, so he followed the trail, which finally led to a pile of logs. His shepherd dog that had followed him by this time had become quite interested at what was going on, so he kept guard at one end of the pile, while his master went to the other. Just as he reached the end the gentleman in red spied Mr. McQuerry and darted back out of the pile where the dog was keeping watch. A lively scrap followed, the dog finally pinning the fox in the deep snow until his master could get a good safe hold on Reynard. At the time the fox appeared uninjured, but lived only a short time after being taken home by Mr. McQuerry. The news that a Red fox had been caught in the country spread quickly. Persons from all walks of life and many from long distances came to see what was then quite a curiosity. Since that date Red foxes have become fairly plentiful all over the state. At times in different locations they will be in fair numbers, when all of a sudden they will practically disappear, many being killed to be sure, but certainly some must migrate. There is no reason, if properly protected, why the red fox should not be as abundant in Kentucky as in New England. although shot here by the hundreds each year, they are always in numbers sufficient to furnish good sport. The first red fox that gave the Walkers any running, located in what is locally known as “Turkey Penn hollow”, just beyond the Whetstone Knob. one of the range of knobs that was about two miles south of the home of W. S., E. H. and Woods Walker. The pack became so familiar with the fox’s abode that they did not bother to trail him up but went to his kennel. It was not uncommon for the first note not to be given till the fox began running. His course always lay directly east, and when once squared away, held it. not once deviating a point either way from the line. Where he went they never knew as it was impossible to follow. Often-times the fox would be back to his favorite haunts before they would get home. Soon after, others commenced to come in. They apparently were working westward as they were always on the move in that direction. At times one hunter would take a trail early in the morning, trail until noon, when he would come up to where someone had put on an hour or more ahead of him, the second hunter might trail until dark without getting near the fox. One case in particular is told of different hunters with their packs trailing two whole days. resting nights without having a race. but the third day the trail commenced to warm up, so by noon they had the fox up on the run, which lasted until dark. when the pack caught and killed it.

The coming of the reds gave the breeder a harder problem to solve. While their hounds were all right for deer and gray fox, when matched with brother red it was a different story, and usually the race would come down to a cold trail. The state of affairs naturally set all interested in hounds to try to improve their packs by finding a suitable cross. The first one of any importance that really improved their pack came from a stolen hound. that is what we would call if such thing occurred today. About 1850. when a well known fox hunter was returning home from one of his mule buying expeditions. which often took him into Tennessee and Virginia. was crossing the mountains near the point where the two above named states and Kentucky meet when he heard a pack of hounds running a deer, and. noticing that one hound seemed to be beating the others, jumped off of his horse, beat the hounds and caught his lead dog, carried him to Madison County and gave him to General Maupin. This hound, afterwards known as Tennessee Lead, was a black dog much like Woods Walker’s Mart, that won the Derby at Barre in 1906. Tennessee Lead was rather a heavy boned hound, strong and well built, with ears much shorter than hounds in Kentucky at that time. He had a clear short mouth, and up to that time was probably the best Red fox hound in that section of the state. Lead was bred to the best bitches, the produce being an improvement over the Virginia hounds in all except voice. This was the first direct out cross made on the Virginia hounds. Many of the present Kentucky hounds trace back to Tennessee Lead. Scott (Scott No. 7), the most noted hound of his day,which was in the early eighteen eighties, and one of the pillars of the Walker breeding, was the fifth generation from Tennessee Lead. Two years later. General Maupin sent a man back to the mountains to find more hounds hike Lead, but was unsuccessful.

About 1852 or ‘53, it was decided to try an English cross on their hounds, Jason Walker, a cousin of the present Walker brothers, and Derrit White, who afterwards married a daughter of John W. Walker, prevailed upon William Fleming of Philadelphia. who sold goods to Jason Walker, to get him a pair of English hounds while on one of his many trips across the water. This couple, Rifler and Marth, came in due time, the latter in whelp at the time. and afterwards giving birth to five, four of which were dog puppies. Rifler and Marth were both fine looking hounds, the bitch the better of the two, but unfortunately died soon after whelping. All five of her puppies lived but none Reached their prime except Bally, who was blind. The bitch of this litter was bred to Tennessee Lead. Her puppies were black and tan, and black, white and tan. Among this lot was a famous bitch known as the ‘Mashfoot’ bitch, she having had one foot badly crushed by being run over by a wagon. Her puppies were superior hounds - a big improvement over the hounds of that time. Blind Riley, Wake, Rush and Brack were her best get. W. S. Walker’s first hound, Rifler, was by imp. Rifler out of the “Mashfoot” bitch. Although John W. Walker never liked the English hounds as fox dogs, the cross certainly improved the back. feet and legs of their hounds and made a tougher and better looking hound, if not a gamer one.

In 1863, when Mr. Walker gave up hunting. he presented his hounds to his sons, W. S. and E. H. Walker. who have always been on the lookout to improve - their hounds by judicious crossings and the careful mating of their own stock with that of the Madison County hunters. W. S. Walker, along in 1887, visited Maryland for the sole purpose of finding’ a few hounds that would improve their stock. He hunted with many of the best known packs of Virginia. then went to Maryland. staying about six weeks in each state. In the latter state he hunted with Henry Griffith and later bought two of his best hounds, Sam and Brag. Sam had the reputation of being able to catch more red foxes than any hound in the state. He was a pale red dog, while Brag was a black and white, ring neck hound. larger and somewhat better looking than Sam, although Sam was a well made hound. After a fair trial in Kentucky these hounds did not prove satisfactory, consequently were not bred to any of their bitches. A little later W. S. Walker bought from John Hardy of Maryland two hounds, Bloomer, a large black and tan dog, and Beulah. a while, gray and lemon spotted bitch. Bloomer was a firs class fox hound but no better than the best of their own stock. He was bred to fourteen of their best bitches. The produce were good in every point except gameness. and lacked the enduring qualities of their own blood. It improved a little. the trailing qualities and gave some better mouths, but on the whole was not a complete success, About 1889, Mr. l-lardv sent Mr. Walker two more hounds, Bluff, who was sent to replace one that had been returned no good. and Pat, a pale yellow hound that was sent to beat everything as he had done in Maryland, but the trip, change of climate. etc., evidently put him all to the bad, as he would not hark into a race in Kentucky, and was subsequently given to a Negro man. Bluff was not as good looking as the other Maryland hounds, but after his first race all were much pleased with his work and thought at that time he would do to breed to. But later, after running a plantation fox for two hours, he quit entirely, and was returned to Maryland.

Two years later, in 1891, James Crawford, a friend of the Walkers, imported from the Earl of Egglesten’s pack of Scotland, three hounds and sent them to Mr. Walker - Strive, a dog three years old, Relish and Clara, both bitches two years old. All were fine looking, handsomely marked, black, white and tan, with trimmed ears which is often the custom in England. Strive was by far the best of the three. He was the fine, wide hunter, good trailer and when the fox was up had plenty of speed, was dead game, with lots of endurance. His greatest

drawback was his mouth, which was seldom given when trailing, and when running it was so fine and light it could it could not be distinguished in a pack, so Mr. Walker hit upon a scheme of having a bell hung to his collar. evidently taking idea from the New England bird hunter, who often, when hunting in thick cover uses a bell on his setter. The scheme might have worked out successfully if the bell had been attached before reaching the hunting grounds, in order for Strive to become accustomed to the ringing. but instead, it was put on just as the grounds were reached, which so completely upset the hound that he )absolutely refused to hunt. Although he lived but six months in his new home, during that time he was bred to at least thirty-five of the best bitches in Garrard and adjoining counties. Clara was of little use. Sometimes she would run fast about half an hour or so, then give up and come in. Although apparently well, her owner thought she must be wrong physically. Relish was much better than Clarara, but she was never to be depended on. At times she would run well two or three hours, but seldom longer. She was not at all tired, just lacked ambition, gameness and the desire to hunt. The get of imported Strive, as a rule, were fine looking hounds, a big improvement in respect over the Walker hounds of that time. It was the same here as with the earlier English cross, outside of conformation and color, the get as fox hounds, with few exceptions were rather inferior to the Walker hounds, and I dare say today, many of the best hunters prefer a pedigree without the cross on Strive and Clara. Some are fearfully opposed to any of Clara’s blood in their Hounds, although many of the best Walker hounds that ever came to New England had a cross of Clara through Col. Jack Chinn’s dog, Gordon. The best imported Strive’s get were Ch. Big Strive and Pearl Strive, that won everywhere whenever shown on the bench. Big Strive was also a first class fox hound with good bottom, but lacked gameness to a certain extent. Both of these hounds were out of Vanarsdall’s Sal. The writer saw Big Strive and Pearl Strive at the New York Kennel Club show in Boston in 1895, and was then much impressed with their general appearance, especially with Pearl Strive, one of the finest built fox hound bitches ever bred in America although half English. That well known authority on American fox hounds, Dr. A. C. Heftinger of Portsmouth, N. H., in his article on the Cook hound in the "American Fox Hound" says that the Cook fox hounds swept everything before them in bench shows of the country until the Kentucky breeders began showing their type with the modern English cross in it. These Kentucky hounds are best represented by Big Strive and Pearl Strive, out pointed the Cook hound in every way save head, and by continuous winning soon ran them off the circuit. Pearl Strive was the cleanest and raciest fox hound I have ever seen. Next to her the Cook bitch, Modest Girl, filled my eye, had the better head, but Pearl Strive Scored over her generally in body, feet and legs.

Raise, litter mate to Ch. Big Strive and Pearl Strive, owned by Col. Chinn was a first class hound, but not quite asgood on bench as others. E. H. Walker had a good one, Rowdy, by Strive. He was black. white and tan, but not so typical as Strive’s get, but about as good a fox dog as any of that blood. Unfortunately he developed a liking for sheep, which soon ended his career. One of the best fox hounds by Strive was out of Trim, a hound called Scott and owned by S. P. Calvin of Louisiana, while Bragg out of Lot, and Mag out of Rate. she by Old Scott(Scott no 7), were high class hounds, both game. Brag especially so. The former was owned by Col. Rogers of Texas, and the latter by Dr. Rosborough of the same state. Many of Strive’s get went to all parts of the country. Some of which were just as good and possibly better than those mentioned, but no record is at hand in regard to them. Ch. Big Strive lived to be 8 years old and up to the last was used very extensively in the stud. Many of his get were fine looking, nicely marked, high class hounds, some of which were excellent, while others as is often the case with the English cross, lacked gameness to a certain extent. Col. Chinn had a good bitch, Shadow by Jay Bird out of Kate and she by Big Strive. She was the dam of Matt and A. V. Huyler’s Jay Bird that ran at Barre last fall.

The get of Big Strive can be found in nearly every state in the Union. Although the consensus of opinion today seems to be for breeding away from the English cross, Judge C. E Huff, a noted fox hunter in Arkansas and owner of many fine hounds, still likes about one- eighths English blood. His best hounds today have about 12 1-2 per cent. but as he mated his favorite bitches with E. H. Walker’s Old Mont, which is free from any direct English cross, the produce have less than 16 per cent of that blood.

In 1894. or thereabouts. Mr. George Garrett sent a very good looking July hound to E. H. Walker, which was bred to a few bitches, hut the produce were not game, otherwise they were fairly good hounds, hut when it came right down to a long race, they would strike their colors. Dr. A. C. Heffinger also sent a July dog to cross on the Walker hounds. But he was stricken with black tongue before there was any opportunity to breed him.

There are today, and always have been, many good fox hunters and careful breeders of hounds in Madison County. Of the older hunters, few were as successful as Neil Gooch, a nephew of General Maupin. He was one of the very best hunters in the state. He would stay for hours. waiting for his dogs. always making it a point never to never leave a hound of his in the woods. In proportion to numbers, he probably owned more really first class hounds than any man in the state. His black bitch. Aggie, a dam of Spotted Top, was considered by W. S. Walker the best fox hound he ever saw. She was a granddaughter of Tennessee Lead, and was really a wonderful hound. At a big meet where there were at least a hundred hounds present, Mr. Gooch offered to wager that Aggie could beat any hound present, although she had just weaned a litter of puppies, which naturally left her in a rather poor condition for a match race. No one came forward to accept the challenge, as nearly all present were acquainted with Aggie’s speed and gameness. One of the Walkers, however, was about to accept the wager when tipped off by a friend, which was excellent advice as Aggie could, and did, beat the pack. Dolph, another one of Mr. Gooch’s great hounds, beat James Maupin's Flyer, Rant and Bob, and this, too, after filling up on some stuff that happened to he found on the way to the hunting grounds. Mr. Gooch died about ten years ago.

John Bennet, also of Madison County, a very fine man and a great lover of fox hounds and fox hunting, owned and bred a lot of high class hounds whose names will be found in many of the pedigrees of the Walker hounds today.

Col. Caperton. a wealthy man of Richmond. always kept a pack of hounds, many of which were excellent in all respects. the most noted being Jarret and Calvin, a blue ticked dog that was bred to very extensively.

Kilis and Joseph Deatherage, both of Madison County, owned and bred many first class hounds. Three bitches, Shiny, a grand puppy of Col. CaperIon’s, Calvin, and Lucy, grand puppies of Calvin on dam side and Jarrett on sire side, were noted hounds. Shiny was the dam of Joe White that produced SO many good hounds only a few years ago. some of which are still living. Lucywas the dam of many brilliant hounds and was a favorite brood bitch with the Walkers for several years. Bred to Joe White, she produced Tige and Minnie Dykes. By Scrape, she produced young Lucy, dam of E. H. Walker’s Don, that sired Dickerson’s Don, Dr. Heffinger’s Brigand and Bandit, John P. Park’s Frank and many other hounds of the highest class. While speaking of Joe White, it is worthy of notice that he sired Phoebe, dam of Leavel’s Gordon and Retha. that won at Bardstown last fall, and also Wooldridge’s Glen, a grand young hound, but never shown in public. All three sired by E. H. Walker’s Phil, he by Arp, out of Woods Walker’s Lill, she by Hardy out of Alice. Phil is a very handsomely marked black, white and tan hound that stands 23 1-4 in. at the shoulders, and considered by the Walkers to be about the best looking hound owned by them for years. He has a splendid coat, gay carriage of stern good legs and feet, front legs could be a little better for pasterns down and feet a trifle smaller, would be an improvement, he has a good head, little too much stop line of profile, not being quite straight. Back excellent, ribs well sprung and carried well back. Have seen Woods Walker's ten year old boy sit on Phil’s back without the dog flinching a particle or seeming to be at all distressed by the weight. Phil is a good hunter, very fast and dead game, with a good mouth and lots of it. in fact a little too much of it at times. As a stallion hound, Phil has today few equals and no superiors. Unfortunately, nearly all the Walker bitches are so close kin to him that they cannot use him, although many outsiders are availing themselves of his services with best results. As to which is the best all round fox hound ever owned by the Walker family, opinions differ. E. H. Walker claims Red Mack, by Old Scott, was the best, being so good he was in a class by himself, while W. S. Walker does not agree with his brother. claimingSpotted Topwas the king of all theirhounds. they do agree. however, that Red Mack was not a great success as a sire, while Spotted Top has the distinction of being the sire of more extra good hounds than any other hound in the kennels. Scott, Joe and Arp not excepted. Yell, a litter mate to Top, was a brilliant hound, and next to Top the best at that time, Red Mack coming years afterwards. Two of Spotted Top’s get, Little Top and Boston, were extra good hounds. Both could pick up rabbits after a short course, like gray hounds, although Little Top was killed by a deer when eighteen months old, he was a wonderful hound to find a fox, could, and did find as many as the balance of the pack and after the fox was up, few hounds could ever take the track from him. Johnny Leavell’s Sokie , by Spotted Top out of Vie, was a good fox dog and a noted brood hitch. S. B. Lear’s Tray and Mollie, litter mates to Sokie, both of splendid conformation, very fast and excellent voices.

The next on list of noted sires came Scott, bred by Alex Maupin, whelped about twenty years ago. He was by Gooch’s Mack out of Maupin’s Fannie, and had the distinction of siring more puppies than any other hound before or since his time. He is considered the main pillar of the Walker blood, the more crosses back to Old ScottNo. 7, the more valuable the pedigree. It is out of the question to name all of the good hounds Scott No. 7 sired. First came Red Mack. belonging to E. H. Walker, and spoken of’ before. John Park’s Scott, litter mate to Red Mack, and excepting Mack the best all around fox hound of that time, but neither of these hounds proved successful in the stud, while W. S. Walker's Troop and Col. Jack Chinn’s Minch, although not as high class fox hounds, were far superior as sires. Troop. sired by Scrape, spent the best part of his life in Texas. but returned to Kentucky in time to become an important factor in hound breeding about eight or ten years ago. The best of his get were Joe White, E. H. Walker’s Lucy and Roe, Montgomery’s Simon, John D. Roger’s Fanner and JackBritton. It seems to the writer a pity that Simon, grand hound as he is, should have been neglected in the stud by the breeders while in his prime. Today there are many anxious to breed first class bitches to him, now that his days of usefulness in that line are over. Simon is well bred, handsomely marked, black. white and tan, of excellent conformation and a wonderfully game hound. This winter, although ten ears old and crippled by an accident in his younger days. which has always\s limited his speed, he has stayed all night many times with Frank Searcv’s pack. For the first of the race, as may be expected with young and fast hounds. he could not keep well up, but toward morning he would catch the pack and from then on would be in the thickest of the fight for the lead. Simon is an excellent hunter and noted for his fox finding ability, has a good big mouth and gives plenty of it. While Simon has been neglected. his two sisters, Babe and Tex, have made enviable records as brood bitches. Old Scott no. 7 sired Red Sam who in turn bred to Mag, produced jay Bird, Osie, Black Bird and Bake. Jay Bird was a noted hound and a good sire. He won the Derby stakes in both the

Brunswick Fox Hound Club and the National Fox Hunters’ Association in 1895, a feat that has never been accomplished before nor since that date. Bake was the sire of E. H. Walker’s Black Joe, one of the greatest hunting hounds ever owned in Kentucky, a hound that would go further and stay longer to get after a fox than any hound of his time. Black Joe sired Burt, Mont, Arp and Ailsie, all extra good hounds and all capable of reproducing. Arp, having the most and best bitches bred to him, naturally gets the credit of the best sire. Ailsie, who won the All Age Stake of the Brunswick Fox Hound Club in 1903, was dam of W. S. Walker’s Topsy and Icey, the latter dam of John Park's Ch. Fitz who won the All-Age Stake at Bards- town in 1907. Jay Bird sired Robinhood, sire of Jip Sharp winner of All-Age Stake at Barre, in 1907. Scott sired a number of high class bitches, among the lot being Vanish, litter mate to Red Mack. A. K. Walker’s Mat, W. S. Walker’s Minnie and Rachel, Charles Blue’s Fan, E H. Walker’s Cricket, A. K. Walker's Cricket and Will Irvin’s Mag.

About Scott's time, A. K. Walker had Raider II, bred by Will Irvin that was by Gentry’s Raider out of Kit. Raider was a fine fox hound and sire of many good ones. best of which was Squealer,whose name will afterwards be seen in the breeding of many of the Walker hounds. Lucy bred to him produced Hardy. sire of Lil Walker. who is dam of Phil, Breck and Jockey. the latter owned by Dr. Snipe of Arkansas. All are grand fox hounds and of the right type.

The winning of the Walker hounds under many different judges from many stakes at the fields trials have been very large. More so than all other strains combined for the past five years. The 1907 Derby winner at Barre, Cloud, is by the Tom Cat. he by Jay Bird. All-Age winner, Jip Sharp by Robinhood, he by Jay Bird. 1906 the Derby was won by Mat, she by Arp out of Shadow, Shadow by Jay Bird. The All Age that year was won by George C. Call’s Fly, not a Walker hound. In 1905 both the winners of All-Age and Derby were of other strains. George E. CaIl's Loud won Derby and Mr. Smith’s Sinner the All Age. 1904 found Simple, a full Walker. winning in the Derby, while Logan, a Maryland hound, won the All-Age. Simple is by Jack, he by Scrape while Fannie, his dam is by Joe White. In 1903 Ailsie, by Black Joe x Charmer, won the All-Age in a field of fifty-eight of the best hounds this country could boast, Derby being won by Thomas Hitchcock’s Maid. By the above will be seen that Walker hounds had the honor of winning the Derby of Brunswick Fox Hound Club three times in five years while the All-Age stake of the same club was won the same number of times by Walker hounds making six prominent wins out of a possible ten, a most excellent showing for any one strain of hounds. The National Fox Hunters’ Association field trails show an even greater per cent of winners of the Walker strain. In 1907 Retha won Derby and Ch. Fitz the All-Age. Trevir won the derby in 1906 while Calvin was the winner ofAll-Age There was no award in the All-Age Stake in 1905. Blanche won the Derby that year. Buster Brown won the Derby in 1904, the All-Age hound falling to Blossom. There was no Derby cup in 1903. Cricket, dam of Blanche, won the All-Age that season. All the above named hounds are Walkers except Buster Brown and Blossom, the former being by Brigand, a half Walker. while the latter is a half Trigg. This gives the Walker hounds credit of winning the Derby of the National Fox Hunters’ Association three times in the last four years. While three of the All-Age winners, in the same period, were of that strain, giving a total of six very prominent out of a possible eight to the credit of the Walker hounds, a most excellent showing of the grandest strain of hounds that has ever come under the observation of the writer.

Copyright Notice

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Audwin McGee and Sons of Savages (www.sonsofsavages.com), 2008-2009-2010-2011,2012,2013,2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sons of Savages with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

About Me

I’m a Southern Boy, just 56 last November, I get around here and there, Central America, Africa, Red Bay. I’m a Father, Grandfather, Husband, Artist and general flunky of sorts. Live in a little historic town in an old building I remodeled. Just wanted to hear myself think I guess, talk about the need of simplification, show some art, express an interest or two, brag on my dogs and see where it goes. That’s it!, That’s the deal, Thanks